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Dockless in Seattle

It is the second bike-sharing service to launch in the city this month

To celebrate the launch, LimeBike is organising a group tour of the Fremont neighbourhood

Dockless bike-sharing service, LimeBike, has formally launched its bike share programme in the US city of Seattle.

The launch coincides with a six-month bike-sharing pilot programme recently issued by the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT).

It is the second bike-share service to launch in the city, with Spin launching its fleet of GPS-enabled bikes earlier this month.

Initially, LimeBike will deploy 500 bikes throughout Seattle’s neighbourhoods. To celebrate its launch, LimeBike is hosting an inaugural LimeRide in the city’s Fremont neighbourhood on Saturday, July 29 from 12pm to 6pm, starting at Gas Works Park. The public is invited to visit iconic Seattle haunts such as BlueBird Ice Cream, and the Fremont Brewery from aboard LimeBikes. The company is also offering free rides until Sunday (30 July).

"We spent months collecting and analysing both qualitative and quantitative data before officially launching in Seattle," said Toby Sun, CEO and co-founder of LimeBike.

"One of our guiding principles is fulfilling the unique mobility needs of each city. We took our time to get things right in Seattle. We are excited for the residents and visitors to experience our service and LimeBike."

To comply with the city’s helmet law, LimeBike will also be distributing 1,000 complimentary custom-designed helmets to Seattle customers throughout the summer.

The company also recently launched the Lime Business Network (LBN), partnering with WeWork, New Tech Northwest, Galvanize, Expedia, Zulily, EnergySavvy, Central Co-op, and other local companies and organisations. Employees and members of LBN partners have access to LimeBikes throughout the City and can ride for free around Seattle.

LimeBike’s pay-as-you-go rides cost just $1.00, or 50 cents for students, per 30-minute time block. All bright green LimeBikes are GPS and 3G-enabled with riders able to find, unlock and pick up a nearby bike using the iOS or Android smartphone app.

When their ride is finished, riders lock the bike’s back wheel and responsibly park between the pedestrian-designated sidewalk and the street curb, or at a bike rack. The dockless network eliminates the time and hassle of having to return bikes to a docking station, and enables Seattle’s citizens to explore the whole city on two wheels.

LimeBike currently operates bike-share programmes in in Indiana, Washington, North Carolina, Florida and California, with other states to follow.

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First dockless bike-share launches in Seattle

Spin’s technology requires no fixed racks and allows bikes to be parked anywhere legal and responsible